Question

A patient with longstanding diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder , presents to the emergency room. The triage nurse notes upon assessment that the patient is hyperventilating. The triage nurse is aware that hyperventilating is the most common cause of which acid-base imbalance?

a) Respiratory acidosis
b) Respiratory alkalosis
c) Metabolic acidosis
d) Metabolic alkalosis

Answer 1

Hyperventilating, as seen in the patient with a longstanding diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, typically leads to respiratory alkalosis, an acid-base imbalance associated with a deficiency in carbonic acid and CO2 due to excessive exhalation of CO2.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient exhibiting hyperventilation, which is characterized by breathing that is deeper or more frequent than normal, is most commonly associated with respiratory alkalosis. This is due to the deficiency in carbonic acid and CO2 levels in the blood caused by an excessive exhalation of CO2. Conditions such as anxiety, fever, infections, or aspirin overdose can lead to hyperventilation, causing the blood to become overly alkaline and, correspondingly, a reduction in the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+).